[ what I do today will resonate ] - OPEN.

[nobodysheroine]

Characters: Ran/Gert (nobodysheroine), Dino/Chase (fistyguns), Vanilla/Eve (1artificialgirl) & OPEN TO SPECTATORS.
Date/Time: Sunday, Oct 26th - mid-morning, approx 11 AM.
Location: The bookstore, the Marketplace
Rating: R for violence.
Summary: Ran stumbles across something which makes the tree very unhappy. Notes to participants inside the cut to prevent spoilers.

Comments

[1artificialgirl]

Vanilla had pushed a book back into its rightful place when she had heard Ran’s voice. She had turned to look over to Ran just in time to see the window shatter and the tree’s branch cutting into her friend. She stood there frozen, her body refused to move. Her friend’s limp figure seemed to be suspended in time before the branch withdrew with a sickening noise. Moment’s later Ran was on the ground, blood pooling around her. Move, why can’t I, just do something!

She felt her whole body tremble involuntarily as she forced herself forward. “R-Ran I…” The girl fell to her knees and used her arms as support, a horrified look flashing across her features. The blood, Ran’s blood, what do I… She shook her head. Vanilla reached out and touched Ran’s shoulder briefly and closed her eyes. “You’ll be fine Ran. I…” Suddenly she stopped. Vanilla couldn’t promise that

She heard the glass breaking and came running shortly afterward

[lemonshine]

The first sound that indicated there was trouble was the sound of shattering glass. It was musical sounding in Lucy's ears as she spun around toward the direction of the noise. The next noise she heard however, sent shivers down her spine and into the fiber of her being. It sent her running in the direction of the bookstore. She had wanted to go there eventually anyway but now as a sinking feeling formed in her belly, the brunette knew that something bad had happened. Essentially, she wasn't too far away from the bookstore but the girl had no clue what had transpired inside. Her mind was a muddled mess at that moment in time anyway but it snapped back to reality as someone shouted for a medic

[felinemystique]

Bastet was out in the marketplace after her morning exercise. The sun was bright and the faint chill in air left her unaffected, as she was still warm from her earlier run. She'd gotten a craving for some fruit and was passing by the bookstore on her way to the fruit stand when she heard the crash of broken glass and a scream for a medic. She couldn't have ignored the cry in any case, but the fact that she knew so many people who worked there made it all the more urgent

[misterbluesky]

There was a shattering sound behind him, and Truth had turned. The tree. He could see the source down the way, and he soon realized that it was the bookstore. He picked up pace as he approached, nearly running the last few yards and pushing past the gathering crowd.

"medic!" He made out that much among the commotion, certain the voice belonged the Vanilla, the girl that had sold him the books. The medical texts he'd been absorbing for the last few days between the basic training he'd been getting

[1artificialgirl]

The voices registered in her mind, some people sat while others stood. Truth had ordered her to hold the article of clothing against the wound. She did as she was told. Vanilla didn't look up from her hands. By now there was a good amount of blood covering them. It was all around them and she remembered a quote from something she had read.

'Before there is peace blood will spill blood and the lake will run red.'

Where was the peace though? Hadn't there been enough blood? What did Ran do to deserve this?

"Bastet is going to find a medic." Her voice was quiet as her expression became a void. If she had been ready, if she had been faster, this might have not happened. Seeing blood and watching people die felt so familiar.

Wait, why was the girl thinking about death? Vanilla knew no matter how much she willed herself to be optimistic it wouldn't help. Ran was dying and there was nothing she could do but watch. Watch the blood run in little rivers and watch the sorrowful group cope.

[reckless_rebel]

Dash had been across the market. He didn't really hang at the bookstore when Dino was there; he figured it was safer all around if he just... Didn't. No confrontation that way, and he got to hang with Ran when Dino wasn't there and it was all good.

The crash had drawn him over, curious spectator mode, a half-eaten meat pie in hand as he wandered towards the focal point of the crowd. The closer he got, the faster he walked, until he threw the food away, found himself at the bookstore instantaneously; at the speed of running inhumanly fast. He stopped outside the window, shoved himself to the front of the crowd peeking inside, and stared.

And stared.

Blood everywhere. Chase and Dino--not really registering, neither was Vanilla. All he could see was Ran, pinned down and coated in red.

I think a scarlet dress would suit her best.

Had that been Dino's idea or his? The randomest thought. No, scarlet doesn't suit her. Was his first coherent response to the scene

[lemonshine]

Lucy felt someone walk past as they almost pushed her to the ground. From the waist down the girl was soaked in Ran's blood when she heard a familiar voice crack through her waves of hysteria. The girl lifted her head and saw one of her partner's in crime in much the same state of shock she had been in moments earlier. There was another person there as well but Lucy didn't recognize them as she staggered over to Dash. Even though her hands were shaking uncontrolably she placed her right hand on Dash's arm

[reckless_rebel]

Someone was tugging at Dash's arm. He wanted to shout at them to leave him alone but something penetrated... The broken sound of Lucy's voice as she tried ineffectually to release his--heh--deathgrip on the window.

He didn't really look down at the shorter girl, raised his free arm absently and wrapped it around her shoulders in a crushing one-armed bear hug. He wasn't sure he could let go of the window. As if holding on to that might hold on to Ran's life. As long as he didn't let go the healers would make it in time and she wouldn't die. There wasn't any logic involved in the though process, just instinct, desperation

[lemonshine]

Lucy's head turned in the nick of time as Dash crushed her to him. Her cheek pressed against his torso as she watched his grip tighten, his words giving her no comfort. How many friends had she lost in the past as her eyes clamped shut. The brunette's gaze had seen Dino and the others attempting to save Ran as her life soaked through scraps of fabric and Truth's shirt. It was too much to bear as she wrapped her arms around Dash, not sure how much longer her legs would let her stand.

She couldn't watch another friend die... why did Lucy have the feeling that this had happened before to her? She'd lost friends before. It had something to do with that first memory she'd received and the overwhelming sadness that had taken over her back then. Lucy averted her face from the window as Dash's grip tightened painfully around her.

"I'm sorry Dash," she whispered as a new set of tears streamed down her face.

She couldn't watch a friend die; she just couldn't.